Ten-time world champion Oscar De La Hoya made it official today, he will face WBC lightweight champion Manny Pacquiao on Dec. 6 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. De La Hoya confirmed the bout during a conference call.

"Manny Pacquiao is considered the best fighter in boxing today and I always want to fight the best," De La Hoya said. "I am glad we were able to make this fight happen because while Pacquiao is at the pinnacle of his success and has defeated all of the top fighters he has faced, I am going to show the world that it stops with me. December 6 can't get here soon enough."

Associated PressManny Pacquiao, right, won the WBC lightweight title in June with a ninth-round TKO of then-champion David Diaz.

The 12-round fight will be contested at 147 pounds. Pacquiao, who began his career as a junior flyweight (108-pound limit), has never fought above 135 pounds. He has fought at lightweight just once, winning the title June 28 with a ninth-round TKO of David Diaz.

De La Hoya, who has fought as high as middleweight (160 pounds), will have a significant size advantage. But De La Hoya (39-5-0, 30 knockouts) struggled at times against diminitive former IBF super featherweight champion Steve Forbes in May. The De La Hoya-Forbes bout was also contested at 147 pounds.

Though Forbes is a larger fighter than Pacquiao, his punching power doesn't equal that of the Philippines native. However, Pacquiao (47-3-2, 35 knockouts) isn't likely to do much damage to De La Hoya, who has a solid chin. The fight will be available on HBO pay-per-view.

"This is my greatest challenge," Pacquiao said. "When I take that walk to the ring to fight Oscar, I will carry all the people of The Philippines - the entire country - on my shoulders. I promise I will fight with all of my heart and that I will give everything I have. Like my trainer Freddie Roach says, I have what it takes to win the biggest fight of my life."

There has been talk that this fight with Pacquiao would be the last for De La Hoya. But during De La Hoya has put that conversation to rest. See the story by Reuters writer Simon Evans for more on De La Hoya quashing talk of retirement.